In this weekly series, Rahul Desai lists 50 of Hindi cinema’s favourite “third wheels” – that is, memorable characters whose roles are little more than fleeting cameos and little less than supporting turns – since 1990. There will be no particular order: just a colourful recollection of emblematic faces who’ve left us craving for more. Twice in consecutive days in 2011, I remember guffawing my way out of an interval-less Delhi Belly. I was firmly of the opinion that Akshat Verma’s criminally clever script, directed by ad-man Abhinay Deo and backed by Aamir Khan, had the power to revolutionize the “concept” of comedy in Indian cinema. It did not. But that by no means diminishes its reputation as perhaps the most pitch-perfect situational caper of our times. Neither…

About the author

A film critic (formerly of Mumbai Mirror, Catch News) and columnist (The Hindu), Rahul Desai writes about everything cinematic under Mumbai's hot sun, including short films, web shows and desi B-movies. When he isn't writing, you can find him in obscure countries nostalgically identifying locations of the films he writes about.

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